Was zucchini one of the vegetables planted in your garden this summer?  If so, chances are you now have more zucchini than you know what to do with. Here’s a simple recipe for zucchini casserole will help you transform all that extra zucchini into a healthy and delicious side dish. This was one of my mother's signature recipes, so whenever I make it, she comes to mind.

Zucchini Casserole

Ingredients
 3-4 medium-sized zucchini, sliced into rounds. Leave the peel on, if you like
1 cup tomato sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
1 small green pepper, julienned  
2 cups Italian-style croutons
8 oz. Velveeta cheese (use only Velveeta), cut into cubes
Italian seasoning to taste
Olive oil (or use water to save on fat calories)
 
Cook the garlic and green pepper in the tomato sauce
Sauté or steam the zucchini until soft
When the tomato sauce is thoroughly heated, begin layering ingredients in a casserole dish. Start with a little tomato sauce on the bottom of the dish, then layer zucchini, croutons and cheese. Shake some Italian seasoning over each layer
 
Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour. The zucchini shrinks as it cooks, so you will most likely end up with about half of what you place in the casserole dish.  This recipe, if used as a side dish, feeds 6.